Visitors to Wrexham library next week will have the opportunity to do more than just pick up a book during their visit with free blood pressure checks on offer.
As part of the Living in Well in Wales campaign, Welsh Libraries are working with Blood Pressure UK, the country’s leading charity providing information and support to people with high blood pressure, to encourage people to know their blood pressure numbers and take the necessary action to reach and maintain a healthy blood pressure.
Know your Numbers! Week (September 9 – 15) is the UK’s biggest blood pressure testing event and awareness week and is one of four health and wellbeing events that form part of the Living Well in Wales campaign, which seeks to bring together public libraries and partner organisations to promote the nation’s wellbeing.
Libraries supported Dementia Action Week during May and will also be backing the British Dyslexia Association’s National Dyslexia Week in October and Do Something Different Day in January.
During Know your Numbers! Week, libraries across Wales will host ‘pressure stations’ offering free blood pressure to checks to library users and members of the public. The stations are run by trained staff who will take a blood pressure reading, record it on a post card for each individual and provide a referral letter for a person’s GP if necessary.
In Wrexham, a pressure station will be located in Wrexham Library where visitors will be welcome to have their blood pressure measurement taken.
Shan Cooper, Libraries Lead, said: “Our libraries offer a wealth of resources on health and wellbeing and we’re delighted to be working with Blood Pressure UK during Know Your Numbers! Week to highlight the importance of having healthy blood pressure.
“We hope that our customers and any members of the public who want to pop into the library will take this opportunity to have their blood pressure checked for free and to find out more about maintaining healthy readings.”
Hemini Bharadia, Campaign Manager for Know Your Numbers! Week, said: “High blood pressure does not discriminate on age or gender – people are dying unnecessarily because they fail to take such simple steps to reduce their blood pressure.
“Know Your Numbers Week! is the perfect opportunity to have your blood pressure taken for free and put you in control of your health, so we are pleased to have Welsh Libraries on board as Pressure Stations where you can go to have your blood pressure checked. They will play a huge role in helping advise customers about blood pressure and getting tested. We therefore hope the public will support them and Know Your Numbers! Week 2019 by getting their blood pressure checked at a library near them.”
For more information about Know Your Numbers! Week visit www.bloodpressureuk.org/kyn
